The Karate Kid is a 1984 John G. Avildsen film starring Ralph Macchio and Pat Morita. It is a martial arts movie and an "underdog" story much in the model of a previous Avildsen smash, the 1976 boxing picture Rocky. It was a massive commercial hit and retains a popular following to this day. It also garnered a favorable critical reception, even earning Pat Morita an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor.
Daniel and his mother move from New Jersy to California. She has a wonderful new job but Daniel discovers that a dark haired Italian boy with a Jersey accent doesn't fit into the blond surfer crowd, especially when he tries to date one of their girl friends. Daniel manages to talk his way out of some fights but is finally cornered by several who belong to the same karate school. As Daniel is passing out from the beating he sees Miyagi, the elderly gardner leap into the fray and save him by outfighting a half dozen teenagers. Miyagi and Daniel find the real motivator behind the boys' violent attitude is the their karate teacher. Miyagi promises to teach Daniel to fight and arranges a fight at a karate contest some months off. When his training begins, Daniel can't understand what he is being shown. Miyagi seems more interested in having Daniel paint fences and wax cars than teaching him Karate. Written by John Vogel
Daniel LaRusso has just moved from New Jersey to Reseda, CA (a neighborhood in Los Angeles) and is finding it hard to acclimatise to life in the new city. He is promised a swimming pool and a beautiful house but when they get there, it's anything but. He meets a beautiful blond girl (Elisabeth Shue) but encounters a gang of bullies who make his life hell. This further dampens misery into Daniel's life as he just wants to go home. He is continually bullied and is afraid to show his face around the high school. He then meets mentor/handyman Mr. Miyagi (Pat Morita) who takes the naive Daniel under his wing and shows him Karate and life aren't all about power and strength. It's something deep within you're soul that makes you what you are. Daniel is the underdog and faces the biggest challenge of his life...WIN and he can rejoice forever knowing he beat the bullies...LOSE? They'll never let him forget it!! Written by James Phillips (edited by Anonymous)
Daniel is new in town, and is getting picked on by the local bullies, who all are adept in karate. Determined to stick up for himself, Daniel begins to teach himself karate, only to discover that the caretaker at his apartment seems to be a grand master in karate. Agreeing to teach Daniel, Mr. Miyagi shows Daniel that there is more to karate than violence, and perhaps the best way to solve the problem he has with the bullies is in the All Valley Karate Championship. Written by Murray Chapman
